Beyond The Headlines: BNF urges vitamin D supplements, Rousselot’s gelatin tech receives patent

09 Dec 2022 --- This week in nutrition news, The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) asserted that the time to supplement with vitamin D is now as the shortest day of the year closes in. The Netherlands-based collagen solution producer, Rousselot, received a US patent for its gelatin technology that eliminates the need for starch-based trays in gummy production. Meanwhile, the acacia, natural ingredients and botanical extracts supplier, Nexira, adopted acacia gum through the American Botanical Council’s (ABC) adopt-an-herb botanical research and education program.

In brief: Nutrition
The BNF revealed the results of a recent survey which showed that 68% of British adults are unaware of the government’s recommendations on daily vitamin D supplementation between the months of October and March. This is the time when the nights are longest, the days are shortest and exposure to sunlight can be minimal as 21 December – the shortest day of the year – approaches. According to the National Health Service, children four years and older should consider supplementing with 10 mcg daily and those with little to no sunlight exposure throughout the year should consider supplementing during the summer as well.Research shows that the way potatoes are prepared plays a significant part in the vegetable’s Diabetic correlation.

In brief: New releases 
Rousselot reported that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted the company a patent for its SiMoGel gelatin technology. This comes just over a year after the company received a patent from the European Patent Office (EPO) for all major European countries in November 2021. The technology allows for the production of nutraceutical gummies without the use of traditional starch trays. Rather SiMoGel gummies can be manufactured using metal or silicone molds that eliminate dust caused by production and are easier to clean. The ingredient also reduces setting time – which usually takes up to 24 hours – to under 30 minutes, significantly improving production and manufacturing timeframes. 

Nexira adopted acacia gum in ABCs adopt-an-herb program, which allows the legume or Fabaceae tree family exudate to be included in its HerbMedPro database. Each herb in the database is continuously researched for new clinical studies and scientific articles in the toxicological, pharmacological, chemical and botanical areas. Acacia gum trees are native to the North African sub-Saharan Sahel region – also known as the gum belt – that extends from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and has been used for food, cosmetics and medicine for more than a millennia.

Additionally, American Key Food Products (AKFP) introduced a native waxy tapioca starch, expanding its tapioca product line. Sourced from the company’s Asian production partner, it is a non-GMO, clean-label and gluten-free ingredient with high amounts of amylopectin, making it an effective thickener, emulsifier and stabilizer. It can be used as an emulsifier in low-fat dressings and to create a soft and elastic texture for frozen foods like dim sum, noodles and transparent fruit fillings. Moreover, the company says it can add a smooth mouthfeel and a glossy appearance to low-fat yogurts.

In brief: Business newsThe BNF warns that now is the time to start taking vitamin D as winter is only half way over.
Crop protection company Adama announced the acquisition of AgriNova New Zealand, a manufacturer, developer and seller of biosolutions, plant growth regulators and crop protection products. Adama’s move will allow it to expand its product portfolio in New Zealand’s plant nutrition, horticulture, biologicals, row crops and fodder markets.

At the same time, US-based Second Nature Brands acquired Brownie Brittle from Encore Consumer Capital in a transaction of which the terms were not disclosed. Second Nature Brands manufacture better-for-you and nutritional snacks and treats, while Brownie Brittle is a brownie snack brand founded in 2012 that combines rich flavor and thin, crunchy texture – a product the company says appeals strongly to growing consumer demands. 

In brief: Research and studies
Food, beverage, bioscience, health and scent innovator IFF announced a research partnership with the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) in Spain. The university recently published an IFF-funded study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences that revealed that the company’s AB-Fortis iron ingredient is tolerated much better than common iron in salt, displaying significantly fewer gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea, constipation, epigastric distress and nausea. Since the ingredient is encapsulated in alginate – a natural seaweed-derived polysaccharide – it is appropriate for vegetarians and vegans. 

AB-Fortis may help vegans and vegetarians get the proper amount of iron.Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich reported that they had identified and structurally characterized three different metabolites that could be considered specific markers for individual coffee consumption. The team tested urine samples from six people who had consumed 400 ml of coffee three hours earlier and used self-produced reference substances and high-performance analytical technologies to identify the three candidate biomarkers and, for the first time, were able to determine the biomarkers’ chemical structures. Published in Science Direct, the study states that the findings could be used to determine the specific health values of coffee in subsequent trials.

A study out of Edith Cowan University in Australia and published in Diabetes Care, which utilized the dietary data of over 54,000 from the long-term Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Study, found that the negative health effects associated with potatoes are likely due to preparation methods rather than the vegetable itself. Potato consumption has been correlated with the development of Type 2 diabetes in many studies. However, the researchers state that when they compared mashed and boiled potatoes to fries or crisps, the correlation disappeared.

Finally, researchers from the CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, reported that effects of global warming, such as land degradation, biodiversity loss and water scarcity will drive nutritional gaps in the Mediterranean. Published in Science Direct, the study reported that nutrition-related challenges will exert pressure on the Southern Mediterranean countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey. Moreover, the study revealed that, even though Northern countries like France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain may be able to better address the current trends, it is likely too late to reverse them and the Southern areas will face increasing obstacles in the future for food security. 

By William Bradford Nichols

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